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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Review: Well, this wine review is impacted by a special moment... Karen's completion of first draft of "Brook Tales". Congratulations!! A brief commemoration seemed in order, and I had a 187 ml bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti Sparkling available.

So, let's see what we've got. Interesting... the cap LOOKS like a champagne cork, but it's plastic... AND it's a screw-cap! So, the bubbles are there, but the pressure in the effervescence doesn't come close to champagne. Still, the bubbles do keep perking from the glasses, but not like those wonderful streams from real, live champagne. I imagine this is carbonated.

On the nose, though, the Asti is simply wonderful. Light grass, touch of cream and sweetness. Seems a bit riesling-esque. That sweetness is followed in the sip, which incorporates touches of grass and honey and just a mild sugar. The finish is clean... leads you to the next sip.

Four stars out of five. We'd both stick with it for an evening. Nice showing for a value-priced, popular bubbly.